The Victoria City Council held its first meeting in a renovated chamber last week.

Improvements cost the city $34,061.

The project wasn't voted on by the council because the individual projects cost less than $25,000 each, said City Attorney Thomas Gwosdz.

The cost breakdown of the entire project also included staff hours used to install certain renovations, said O.C. Garza, communications director.

An outside company was used to install the tile and carpet, as well as the audience chairs.

Discussion on the project started in April, Assistant City Manager Bruce Ure said. Security enhancement issues were discussed in closed session.

Security improvements were paid for by municipal court fines, Garza wrote in an email. The court uses the council chamber.

Money refunded to the city from refinanced bonds paid for the other renovations, Garza said.

At one point, there was a discussion about installing a metal detector, Ure said. However, privacy issues, concerns about long lines and a determination that a metal detector wasn't necessary persuaded the staff to not install it.

The old, original spectator chairs were so old that one broke with someone sitting in it, Garza wrote.

Fifteen other chairs had to be removed because of cracks.

The finished improvements completed the renovation plan for the council chamber, Ure said.